Car-coupling



.(No Model;)

H. CALDWELL.

OAR COUPLING.

No. 464,426. Patented Dec. 1, 18 91.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARPER CALDYVELL, OF PINEVILLE, MISSOURI.

. CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of- Letters Patent No. 464,426, dated December 1, [1891. Application filed July 7,1891? Serial No. 398,687; (Noznodelfl To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARPER CALDWELL, of Pineville, in the county of McDonald and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in car-couplings; and it consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, which will be fully described hereinafter, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention is to construct an automatic car-coupling, and thus prevent the necessity of'going between the cars when being coupled.

Figure l is a front view of my improved coupler shown in position on the car. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detached view of one of the links.

The draw-head or coupling is divided into two compartments A B at its forward end. The portion A is closed and serves to confine the link 0 by means of the head D on the rear end of the pin. Extending upward through the draw-head is the lever E, which is secured to the head D at its lower end, and as the draw-head is recessed at F the said lever is adapted to turn down, turning with it the link. Thelever E travels between two guides G and is held in an upright position by the spring H, secured to one of the guides. That portion of the spring extending over the track traveled by the lever is made tapering, so

that by pushing the lever against it from either side will force it back out of the way and allow the lever to pass. The lever-is secured in a downward position" by means of the tapering stop I, secured to the spring-rod J. This stop is made tapering for the same purpose as the spring H, so that the lever may readily pass it in either direction.

The portion B of the draw-head is provided with a hinged upper portion, which is held normally down by the spring K. When this hinged portion is down, the compartment thus formed is just the same as the portion A. These hinged sections are formed on opposite sides of the adjacent draw-heads.

When it is desired to couple the cars, the

arrow-heads on the outer ends of the links are turned in a vertical position by means of the levers E. While in this position the cars are brought together and the arrow-headed links enter the respective recesses before them, forcing the spring-actuated portions of the sections 13 upward, and thus admitting the headed end of the link into the recess. After the head has passed in, the spring then forces the top down and the link is locked in the recess. When it is desired to uncouple the cars, the lovers E are turned to avertical position, thus turning the arrow-heads of the links into a horizontal position and allowing them to pass out of the opening in the section B of the draw-head.

Extending upward to the top of the car are the rods L for operating the lovers E. Their lower ends are loosely connected to the said levers, and their upper ends are formed in hand-holes, and by this means the levers E may be operated and the cars uncoupled from the tops of the cars. If desired, the levers E may be so bent as to bring them all on the same side of the train, as shown in Fig. 2.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a car-coupling, the draw-head pro vided with a recess in its forward end, a headed link secured in the said recess, a lever secured to the link for turning it, stops for locking the said lever, and a recess in the adjacent draw-head provided with a springactuated cover, into which recess the arrowhead of the link is adapted to be looked, the parts being combined to operate substantially as shown and described,

2. In a car-coupling, the draw-head provided with two compartments in its forward end, one of the compartments being provided with a spring-actuated cover, a headed link secured in the other compartment, a lever secured to the link for turning it in its seat, and the spring-actuated stops provided with tapering ends for holding the lever in the desired adjustment, the parts being combined I spring actuated stops secured to the said 1o to operate substantially as shown and deguides, the parts being combined to operate scribed. substantially as shown and described.

3. In a ear-coupling, the draw-head divided In testimony whereof I affix my signature in into two compartments at its forward end, presence of two witnesses. one of which is provided with a spring-actu- HARPER CALDWVELL. ated cover, a rotating link secured in the Witnesses: other compartment, an operating -lever se- W. D. THOMPSON, cured to the link, the guides G, and the O. W. BLAND. 

